The Atlantic: The Surprising Wealth and Success of Japan
:smashpc:What is the difference between a developed society that has remained in an economic slump for 20 years and one with steady prosperity for the same period of time? The answer is not clear. But that question dogged my mind in a recent two week visit to Japan after a gap of 20 years. The Japan of today is amazingly prosperous. The first thing you notice is that it is spic and span clean: not a cigarette butt on a station platform; metro car floors you could eat off of; all new autos including many Mercedes and BMWs; endless flows of prosperous Japanese students and other tourists; ultra modern buildings everywhere; restaurants full of diners; Kobe beef at $250 or more a pound. In back streets of Tokyo and Kyoto, there is not a sign of poverty, dirt, or disease...[A] large percentage of Japanese people start their days exercising either in public, or at home to the same TV hosts...
...the Japanese seem to have done more with less by making their people reasonably happy despite fewer resources. This surely has roots in Japanese welfare, with its remarkably fair treatment of people of all ages and needs, and Japanese education, a world leader built on intensive early literacy lessons and a "distillation" methodology that identifies and caters to the best students. Throughout their education and lives, Japanese teamwork and collective good is stressed and rewarded. This all for one, one for all mentality is rare in today's world, but it serves Japan well...Their population seems to be willing to make shared sacrifices to maintain the elements of daily life that they consider most important: social harmony and order, safety and environmental health...more...